Genetic study of litter size and litter uniformity in Landrace pigs

Ederson Gomes Camargo,Fabyano Fonseca E Silva,Paulo Sávio Lopes,Daniele Botelho Diniz Marques,Elsio Antonio Pereira De Figueiredo

doi:10.37496/rbz4920180295

Abstract

ABSTRACT We aimed to estimate litter size and litter uniformity genetic parameters and genetic trends of Landrace pigs at birth and at three weeks by using multitrait analyses for 2,787 litters. The following litter traits were evaluated: number of piglets born alive (NBA), within-litter weight mean at birth (MBW), within-litter weight standard deviation at birth (SDB), within-litter weight coefficient of variation at birth (CVB), number of piglets at three weeks (NT), within-litter weight mean at three weeks (MT), within-litter weight [...]

Highlights

Litter size at birth and weaning are among the reproductive traits of greatest economic impact on pig production profitability
The following litter traits were evaluated: number of piglets born alive (NBA), within-litter weight mean at birth (MBW), within-litter weight standard deviation at birth (SDB), within-litter weight coefficient of variation at birth (CVB), number of piglets at three weeks (NT), within-litter weight mean at three weeks (MT), within-litter weight standard deviation at three weeks (SDT), and within-litter weight coefficient of variation at three weeks (CVT)
Within-litter weight coefficient of variation at birth; NT - number of piglets at three weeks; MT - within-litter weight mean at three weeks; SDT within-litter weight standard deviation at three weeks; CVT - within-litter weight coefficient of variation at three weeks; SD - standard deviation

Summary

Introduction

Litter size at birth and weaning are among the reproductive traits of greatest economic impact on pig production profitability. High within-litter weight variation may be associated with low piglet survival rates, since litters with low uniformity present a greater number of piglets with low birth weight. Such piglets have low level of body energetic store and impairment of both colostrum intake and access to function and productive teats (Milligan et al, 2002b; Quiniou et al, 2002; Zhang et al, 2016). Achieving optimal litter uniformity at birth is still a challenge in production systems, since the measurement of the individual piglet weight at birth may be laborious, and only the average or total litter weights are usually recorded. Uniform litters enable the all-in/all-out management (Zindove et al, 2013; Wang et al, 2016), essential for the maintenance of appropriate sanitary conditions on the farm

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